Genesis 30:25-31:55

What we will find in Genesis 30-31 is that idolatry leads to infidelity but faith can bring about freedom.

Outline

  • First, Recognize your idols, including the idol of success (30:25-43)
    • Laban recognizes that Jacob is the reason for his success – 25-36
    • Laban doesn’t recognize that Jacob is robbing him of his success – 37-43
  • Second, Resist your idols, including the idol of security (31:1-35)
    • Life transitions reveal the idol of security (1-16) – 1-3
    • Life transitions test the idol of security – 17-19
    • Life transitions confront the idol of security – 25-29
  • Third, Replace your idols, including the idol of significance (35:36-55)
    • The idol of significance tempts us to justify our standing – 36-42
    • The idol of significance tempts us to lose our identity – 43-55

Christ Connections

  • Jesus faces the same three temptations for success, security, and significance in the wilderness and through his death on the Cross. Jacob took on the lambs with spots and blemishes but the son of Jacob comes as a lamb without spot or blemish so that he can make the perfect sacrifice for our sin.

Applications

  • When we sense the seduction of our idols like our own security, we are not called to flee to them like Laban, but flee from them. We are not called to cover them over but confess them to Jesus. 
  • This passage shows us three temptations that we are drawn to:
    • Success
    • Security
    • Significance
  • This passage shows us that we must recognize, resist, and replace our idols.